Editor,
HH Mohrmen’s article, The Real Nongshohnoh (ST 29 Feb, 2016) enlightening as it is, has a tinge of misleading elements in it. His classification of Khasis and Pnars is in fact an erroneous understanding of a single ethnic race of people. Khasi is a common and an inclusive ethnic term used to refer to all sub-groups constituting one race, the “Khasis”. The sub-groups are Nongphlang (those who inhabit the Shillong Plateau), the Maram, the War, the Lyngngam, the Nongtrai, the Nongtung etc. In fact the term Khynriam is only a derogatory term used in the past which is no longer acceptable today just as we used the term Mikir for the Karbis in the past. In recent years there has been a dangerous emphasis on the ethnic differences between those who live in Khasi Hills and those who live in Jaintia Hills. There are many Pnars (even the educated ones) who are trying to break up the ethnic unity through an indiscrete use of these ethnic terms. There is yet another dangerous development today where we see the Pnars trying to evolve their own literary language (dialect) and attempting to do away with Khasi language. These are divisive enterprises which in the long run will fragment our small tribe. We need to learn from the history of other great nations.
The German tribes before the arrival of Martin Luther were divided by languages. They spoke different dialects and were even at war with each other. But with Luther’s Bible written in one German language, soon the whole of Germany accepted this as the national language and that was how the German tribes were unified. So also with the Italians before the arrival of Dante Alleghieri! Dante brought a greater unification of the Italian people through a standard Florentine Italian given by him which was accepted by other regions. Let us not forget that we too had many dialects in the past. Fortunately, the Welsh missionaries and Thomas Jones in particular gave us the Sohra dialect which was made a literary language and gradually became a universal language for the Khasis. This is a great blessing because it has really unified our people for the past many decades. It pays to remember the patriotic song of Kerious Wahlang who sang “Khynriam (Nongphlang), u Pnar, u Bhoi, u War/U dei u paid ‘Khasi’ baiar.” I hope our Khasi writers will be more careful in using such terminologies so as not to foster a divisive ideology in the minds of ordinary people.
Yours etc.,
Barnes Mawrie sdb,
Via email
Aadhar card and Meghalaya
Editor,
The Govt of India is planning to give the Aadhar Bill statutory backing. All the government benefits/subsidies will be routed through Aadhar platform. But in Meghalaya, there is resistance from a section of pressure groups to implement the Aadhar scheme for whatever reasons and the State Government has weakly succumbed to the pressure. Are the genuine Indian citizens residing in Meghalaya not entitled to the Aadhar card? I want to know from the authorities when are plan to implement this scheme. Or a PIL in this regard may be appropriate.
Yours etc.,
D Deb,
Via email